1.) In MEN'S figure skating you must have a Quad jump, excellent footwork, transitions, and spins throughout your program if you want to win. The sport reached its most technically advanced point ever this season. In terms of jumping we're still slightly behind where we were in 2002-2004 but every other aspect of the programs have become more difficult. Now what we need to see is rule revisions that more heavily punish mistakes and properly reward better choreography. Convoluted footwork may be "difficult" but it's ugly...there needs to be a balanced between rewarding footwork that is fast, has a good pattern, and includes difficult steps/turns...the way footwork was back in 2006 is how it should be...ever since then the sequences have become more and more busy and ungainly. We need rules that say you receive -GOE if you footwork pattern does not specifically go in a STRAIGHT LINE across the rink, or an actual CIRCLE around the rink, or a clear SERPENTINE.

2.) In WOMEN's figure skating the trend was that playing safe gives you the victory. This is highly bizarre, given how the rules no longer punish underrotations as heavily and Triple-Triple combinations should be flourishing. In actuality, only the Triple Toe-Triple Toe combination is flourishing. We need to see a rule change that specifically gives bonuses to combinations based on how difficult they are. A Triple Lutz+Triple Toe should be worth more than just 1.9 points over a Triple Toe-Triple Toe. Combinations with a Triple Loop as the second jump especially need to be rewarded, as they are far more difficult. I'm also thinking the Zayak rule needs to be expanded in such a manner that it states you are not allowed to repeat more than 1 kind of Triple jump unless you attempt a jump of EVERY type (Toeloop, Salchow, Loop, Flip, Lutz, Axel) in your program. We are seeing too many females who completely leave difficult Triple jumps (Lutz/Flip) out of their programs and score a ton of points anyway because of easy Triple Toe combinations.

It is not really a new trend, rather, it is going back to old days when
consistent Michelle almost always beats exquisite Sasha.

Why?

Probably ISU realized there is NO WAY for other skaters to beat YUNA
if IJS put equal weight on PCS same as the JUMPS.

There are only TWO SKATERS...Yuna and Mao who have outstanding
skating skill...displaying BEAUTY OF ICE SKATING that create HUGE FOLLOWERS.

Going back to more weight on cosistency is...in a sense...good for the sport...
but definitely will hurt the ARTISTIC SIDE of the game.

Anyway...CONGRATULATIONS to MIKI for her 2nd World Title.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but what you point to isn't a trend, its your opinion. Comparing Michelle to Sasha is just silly because Sasha didn't have the skating skills of Michelle on any level. Now, if this was figure posing or figure spinning, then maybe I would be forced to really think this through, but since it is not - I can dismiss this out of hand. Regardless of judging system, Cohen, talented as she was, was no match for a healthy Kwan who was as consistent because she was exquiste. Heck even an injured Kwan had better results.

Yuna and Mao are talented but I'd also argue that both are great skaters because they are great athletes - skating is more than jumping and its also more than being beautiful. If ya wanna win, ya gotta focus on combining the technical and artistic side. Again, either its a sport or its a beauty pageant where the skater with the most fans wins.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but what you point to isn't a trend, its your opinion. Comparing Michelle to Sasha is just silly because Sasha didn't have the skating skills of Michelle on any level. Now, if this was figure posing or figure spinning, then maybe I would be forced to really think this through, but since it is not - I can dismiss this out of hand. Regardless of judging system, Cohen, talented as she was, was no match for a healthy Kwan who was as consistent because she was exquiste. Heck even an injured Kwan had better results.

Yuna and Mao are talented but I'd also argue that both are great skaters because they are great athletes - skating is more than jumping and its also more than being beautiful. If ya wanna win, ya gotta focus on combining the technical and artistic side. Again, either its a sport or its a beauty pageant where the skater with the most fans wins.

I guess you are one of the big Michelle's fan...
I'm sorry if I offened any way...

But when I think of Michelle's artistic side of skating...
I can only think about...

1. waving arms(not using the whole body)
2. grin during her spirals(you guys hail it as emotion)
3. never saw her doing simple ina bauer

Were there anything special that I really don't know about her?
The only thing REAL SPECIAL about Michelle is her ABILITY TO WIN...

I guess you are one of the big Michelle's fan...
I'm sorry if I offened any way...

But when I think of Michelle's artistic side of skating...
I can only think about...

1. waving arms(not using the whole body)
2. grin during her spirals(you guys hail it as emotion)
3. never saw her doing simple ina bauer

Were there anything special that I really don't know about her?
The only thing REAL SPECIAL about Michelle is her ABILITY TO WIN...

I'd suggest you rewatch her programs, like Aranjuez, Tosca, or Salome (actually pretty much any of them); she utilizes her body very well, her musicality and timing is second to none, and her facial expression changes quite a bit..I'm not sure where you're going there.

Also, an Ina Bauer is not "artistic", it's a move in the field..I'm not sure how that constitutes "artistry".

I'd suggest you rewatch her programs, like Aranjuez, Tosca, or Salome (actually pretty much any of them); she utilizes her body very well, her musicality and timing is second to none, and her facial expression changes quite a bit..I'm not sure where you're going there.

Also, an Ina Bauer is not "artistic", it's a move in the field..I'm not sure how that constitutes "artistry".

The main reasons ISU changed IJS to COP...

1. To avoid controversies as much as possible.
2. To judge whole aspect of skating skill...not just jumps

as soon as ISU changed to COP...Michelle was immediately off the podium internationally...meaning...
CONSISTENCY ALONE is not enough to win the competitions anymore.

Michelle got injured herself to follow and practice the difficult COP rules.
That was the END of HER CAREER.

But, I must say...she was the most CONSISTENT skater in American History.

Sorry but at some events Michelle didn't win because she was so exquisite and amazing but because Sasha made severe mistakes. Had Sasha been clean at 2005 Nationals she would've won. I think the comparison is right here, consistent Michelle beat exquisite Sasha. When Kwan met difficult CoP spins, spirals, transitions etc. she just crashed and realised that her consistent jumps weren't enough. Talking about consistency, did Michelle ever won every free skate all season long? This is what Miki Ando did this season, she had the best free skate at every competition she entered, that is huge consistency. Irina did it in 2004-2005 but she also won every competition, not only free skate (and maybe even every short program if I remember correctly).

I guess you are one of the big Michelle's fan...
I'm sorry if I offened any way...

But when I think of Michelle's artistic side of skating...
I can only think about...

1. waving arms(not using the whole body)
2. grin during her spirals(you guys hail it as emotion)
3. never saw her doing simple ina bauer

Were there anything special that I really don't know about her?
The only thing REAL SPECIAL about Michelle is her ABILITY TO WIN...

Of course I disagree with you about everything except the Ina Bauer. I grant you that Kwan didn't have that back flexibility. When I want to see a gorgeous Ina Bauer, I go visit Shizuka Arakawa on YouTube. But in all other things, I found plenty that was exquisite in Kwan, including simple boot-to-ice skating skills. You are right that she was also consistent, and that was a huge advantage. I'm not going to try to convert you, though. You keep liking whomever you enjoy!

As far as the consistency trend goes, I wouldn't judge by this year's Worlds. YuNa was not at her best, after a year away from competition. (Yet she still won a silver! That's a pretty high level of "not at her best.") When she's at her best, I don't care what you call it--consistency, athleticism, once-in-a-lifetime skating skills--they have to give her the gold. No one else can touch her--except maybe Mao, who's spectacular in a different way.

But something awful happened to Mao at this worlds. She didn't just crawl in behind YuNa or even Miki. She slid all the way down to some dreadful place that I can't even force myself to remember--seventh or something. They couldn't give the gold to either of those normally spectacular ladies. And Miki has been wonderful all year, working hard on presentation as well as jumps. Today, she just outskated everyone else.